Reading the news, my not-so-rosy predictions for 2009 are unfortunately looking right. The worst is still to come; at least this “slump” (or any other term you prefer) is going to stay with us for some time. And this is not just for our American friends (good luck Mr. Incoming President, may the force be with you): Europe (UK first of all) and even China are going to see less happy times. Let’s hope that China at least gets out of it safely and faster than the others.
So, fun it is going to be. To cheer us all up.
So, now you’ll know what men, women and mirrors have in common. Or rather how we look at ourselves.
Of course we also have to look at others and I received a puzzling question: in the pic below, find the English chick. Hmmm. Still studying, studying.
Have some other better pics but with China now becoming allergic to “pornography”, I better save those nice boobs just for myself.
Went to check what the whole hoopla was with actress Zhang Ziyi caught topless (and nearly bottomless) with her boyfriend Vivi Nevo. See two relevant pics (I spare you the sniff-the-butt ones). Don’t look for boobs coz mine are bigger. I am not sure what went on in the boyfriend’s head: did he really not know there was a photographer around on that Caribbean island? While I think it’s big fuzz for nothing. I don’t mind topless but I would not act in public as the guy did.
As for Zhang, I think she is a great actress, has a lovely face but her body is nothing to lie awake about. OK, she’s slim, but that’s it – she has other assets that more than compensate!
Wise Men or… Wise Women?
Christmas in Alaska
Tom had been in the Army for 25 years.
Finally sick of the stress, he quits his job and buys 50 acres of land in Alaska as far from humanity as possible.
He sees the postman once a week and gets groceries once a month. Otherwise it’s total peace and quiet. After six months or so of almost total isolation, someone knocks on his door. He opens it and a huge, bearded man is standing there.
‘Name’s Cliff, your neighbor from forty miles up the road. Having a Christmas party Friday night. Thought you might like to come at about 5:00… ‘Great’, says Tom, ‘after six months out here I’m ready to meet some local folks. Thank you.’ As Cliff is leaving, he stops. ‘Gotta warn you. Be some drinking’. “Not a problem’ says Tom. ‘After 25 years in the army, I can drink with the best of ’em’. Again, the big man starts to leave and stops. ‘More ‘n’ likely gonna be some fightin’ too. ‘Well, I get along with people, I’ll be all right! I’ll be there. Thanks again. ‘More’n likely be some wild sex, too!’
‘Now that’s really not a problem’ says Tom, warming to the idea. ‘I’ve been all alone for six months! I’ll definitely be there.
By the way, what should I wear?’
‘Don’t much matter. Just gonna be the two of us.’
China: 30 years of opening up
Chinese and foreign media have extensively reported on the anniversary of 30 years of opening up – started in 1978.
Some of my personal stories will be part of my book.
I visited the exhibition on the topic, held in China World from 19 to 30 December:
“A 30-Year History: Exhibition on China’s Opening up”
It did not receive much coverage in the English press, a pity because the two exhibition floors were fully packed with overviews op the economic history – province by province, country by country plus some extras. I was the only foreigner; many Chinese groups were visiting with help of free guides available at the reception.
I wanted to see how the Ministry of Commerce had used some of my contributions. Every country had exactly the same exhibit space so I was happy to find back several of my pieces, like the post cards announcing my office move within the Beijing Hotel and later to the Kunlun Hotel – all in the early eighties, as well as the large glass model of the “The Athletes Alley” by Olivier Strebelle. See the pics. Also shown are the three stands of the Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
See also the large auditorium where I saw the interview on screen with Bart Pennewaert, First Secretary of the Belgian Embassy. There were also large touch screens to consult the data.
I opened the first Belgian Representative Office in Beijing with a Belgian Representative, in early 1981. See me with my secretary Chen Jilun at the door of room 5109 (“West Wing” of Beijing Hotel) in 1981. That time there were no office buildings, no apartments for business people – nothing. So that room was for a long time the office but also my bedroom, living room, “dining” room.
What changes since then…
Lobbying in China: “illegal”?
On Friday 9 January I addressed once again an EMBA delegation from the Copenhagen Business School. The topic of my seminar – not the first one of that type – was about the Chinese business environment and “lobbying” in China.
One of my friends tried to convince me that “lobbying is illegal in China”. We can say that our consulting firm is very much focused on what I call “strategic consulting and lobbying”. Obviously most people stay away from that topic and certainly that sticker – as in many countries it has gained a bad reputation and is being seen as unfair and a cover of corruption. I stick to that word being already known to “provoke” a little.
The seminar tries exactly to address this misunderstanding, of course noting that the definition like on Wikipedia (excellent material there!) does not literally apply to what we do – though one could argue that when e.g. the European Chamber approaches the Chinese government to change or influence laws and regulations it is exactly that. Some extracts from Wikipedia:
Lobbying is the practice of influencing decisions made by government. It includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents or organized groups. A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of a lobby. Governments often define and regulate organized group lobbying.
I explain what we understand with “lobbying” through two projects I completed successfully:
– The Athletes Alley by Olivier Strebelle (Belgium) in Beijing
– Restarting metro projects in China: obtaining the contract for Shanghai Metro Line 3 (when I was heading the Shanghai Alstom office).
In short, “lobbying” is the art of dealing with the complex Chinese bureaucracy and getting your message across. Most of the time it also means the foreign side needs to understand Chinese concerns and take them into consideration.
And it does not imply giving out envelopes with cash or something. That does not last long anyway.
Wikipedia also notes: “There are currently around 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs etc.) seeking to influence the EU’s legislative process. Some 2,600 special interest groups have a permanent office in Brussels.”
Interesting…